Beek tussen rotswanden 1907 - 1935

Adolphe Burdet made this photomechanical print, Beek tussen rotswanden, at some point in his life. The ochre and brown tones create a hazy atmosphere, giving the impression of a time long ago, like a faded memory. It makes me think about how photography, just like painting, is always a process of filtering and interpreting the world. I’m drawn to the way the light catches the edge of the rock walls on the right hand side. There's something almost abstract about the way the light defines the form. This small detail speaks to the grandeur of nature and the interplay between light and shadow. It reminds me of the work of Carleton Watkins, particularly his landscape photographs of the American West, which also captured the sublime beauty of nature with a similar sense of awe and wonder. Ultimately, this work is less about the specific location and more about the universal experience of encountering the sublime in nature.